Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train progress: Project achieves key milestone with ninth steel bridge in Gujarat

The Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail project marked another milestone with the successful launch of the second 100-metre span of a twin-span steel bridge over NH-48 near Nadiad, Gujarat.

This development completes the ninth of 17 planned steel bridges in the state, further advancing construction of India’s first bullet train corridor.

200-Metre Bridge Installed Over Busy Highway

According to details released by The Press Information Bureau of India, the new structure consists of two spans of 100 metres each, weighing a combined 2,884 metric tonnes.

Further, the bridge stands 14.6 metres tall and 14.3 metres wide and is considered a milestone as its construction involved more than 1.14 lakh Tor-Shear Type High Strength (TTHS) bolts, C5 system painting for durability, and elastomeric bearings.

Notably, the spans were assembled on temporary trestles at a height of 14.9 metres before being slid into position across six lanes of the heavily used NH-48. The work was carried out in phases to minimise disruption to traffic along one of India’s busiest national highways, which connects Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai.

Part of 28 Steel Bridges on the Corridor

The Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train corridor will feature a total of 28 steel bridges, of which 17 are in Gujarat and 11 in Maharashtra.

With this launch, nine steel bridges have been completed in Gujarat, including structures across the Delhi–Mumbai National Expressway, the Vadodara–Ahmedabad railway line, and Dedicated Freight Corridor Corporation (DFCC) tracks.

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Progress on India’s First High-Speed Rail Project

The Mumbai–Ahmedabad bullet train project, spanning 508.17 kilometres, will connect Mumbai in Maharashtra with Ahmedabad in Gujarat through 12 stations, including Surat, Vadodara, Anand/Nadiad, and Sabarmati.

Once completed, trains are expected to reduce travel time between the two cities to around two hours.